U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,650 discloses a liquid applicator intended for applying coats of paint or the like by a device mounted on a person's finger or hand. This applicator comprises a generally cylindrically shaped mounting sleeve which is attached at one end to an applicator head.
According to one example this applicator is made from a rigid thimble-shaped applicator head and a mounting sleeve tightly fixed to this applicator head and being made from surgical rubber, in order to accommodate many different sizes of user's fingers According to this example, the mounting sleeve can be rolled wrong side out over the applicator head and the brush tip thereof. As the rolled edge 16 of the mounting sleeve is still open, drying-out of the brush cannot be prevented.
According to another example of this construction, the mounting sleeve is detachably attached to the applicator head such that different relative positions between mounting sleeve and applicator head may be provided.
This applicator system would in general be also usable for disposing make-up. However, if a mounting sleeve is turned inside out by rolling it over an applicator head, no complete cover of the applicator head can be provided such that drying-out cannot be prevented.
Moreover, if the applicator head touches the mounting sleeve, the respective part thereof would become soiled. If rolled back again to the normal position, the soiled part of the mounting sleeve would be on the outer portion thereof such that it is open to further soil different parts. Correspondingly, the construction known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,650 requires that it be cleaned after use which is not possible with make-up systems.
From U.S. Pat. No. 2,953,142 it is known to provide a lipstick assembly having a handle portion marked with the reference number 10, a holder section 11 and an applicator 12. If not in use, the holder section 11 and the applicator 12 are covered by means of a closure cap 14. At the time of use, this closure cap 14 is put aside such that the applicator is free for using it. The person using the lipstick assembly may hold the single lipstick at the part indicated by reference number 10 which is named closure section and which also may be used as a closure cap for a further lipstick.
This known lipstick assembly is relatively long when stored away, such that it is not suitable for women's small purses or vanity-bags.
Another problem of this lipstick results from soiling the applicator head--which is laid open at the time of use and is subject to being touched by the person handling the lipstick. If the cover 14 is put on the applicator head and the lipstick holder, soiling of the outer surface of holder section or stud 11 would occur unless the cover is moved exactly coaxially to the applicator head. In practice, the holder section or stud 11 can be soiled such that also soiling of the user's fingers will result.
This soiling mainly occurs when the lipstick is moved along the user's lips as then it is not possible to control the finger gripping position visually.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved and cheap disposable make-up system which helps in preventing a user's fingers from being soiled when using the lipstick and applying lipstick color to her lips.
A further object of the present invention is to provide means for increasing the length of the handle portion of the lipstick at the time of use only.
Another object of the present invention is to provide means for decreasing the overall length of a disposable make-up system at the time of non-use such that this length is much less than double the gripping length.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disposable make-up system which is easy to produce and yet meets necessary quality standards and avoids damaging the image of the trade mark of the manufacturing company.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system which permits the manufacturing of a large quantity of systems which may be arranged in groups and handled as a whole until the time when they are packed and when they are separated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide means for limiting the drying-up of conditioned volatile products until they are used by the customer.